Employee Spotlight: Joseph Dixon
oseph Dixon joined Aspire in February of this year as one of the first round of hires for the new Mockingbird Hill Recovery Center as a Residential Recovery Technician. He was quickly recognized as someone who could establish excellent rapport with the residents and earned the respect of his colleagues, so he was recently promoted to Shift Leader.
In this role, he assists the clinical staff with oversight of residents, making sure they go to group meetings or receive their medication, are getting enough rest and recreation, and act as a friendly face and reassuring voice. This last part is something Joseph knows very well after working for 20 years in the live entertainment industry as a drummer and sound engineer, also running his own company doing DJ work and sound systems for live bands, church and ministry events, corporate events, weddings, and medium sized festivals.
“I've done production for Brian McKnight, The O'Jays, Rick James, and I've provided and operated the sound for most of Central Indiana's top corporate/wedding bands,” he says.
Although Joseph does not have a history of substance use disorder (SUD) himself, he very much empathizes with the residents because of his own struggles in life. He experienced racism and depression as a child and young adult, reaching a critical point with trying to take his own life at age 22.
“I think that's why I care so deeply for others. I know what it's like to feel like you just weren't made to count and I never want anyone to feel that way,” he says.
Joseph loves to chat with residents, learn their stories and look for ways to encourage them in their recovery, their interests, their relationships and their lives.
“The biggest thing our clients have passed on to me is that they are regular people with feelings, with loved ones, with families, and who aren't any better or worse than anyone else. They all have value! They all have experiences and knowledge and I learn something from them almost every shift,” he says.
“They just have different struggles than I do. Their battles are different than mine. They deserve respect, they deserve love, and they deserve to know that they WERE made to count!”
Joseph has five children, including from his first marriage, and is an advocate for the Shared Parenting movement that seeks equity in custody and support of children following divorce. He has made many appearances at events in support of the cause and on national television news. He points to his friend Kash Jackson, a Navy veteran and gubernatorial candidate in Illinois, as an inspiration for family court reform.
“Every day in family courtrooms all over this country, good loving parents walk in as equal parents and then walk out being relegated to ‘visitors’ in the lives of their children,” he says.
